Free Gently Instrumental by Alan Hunter Page A

to tell you. Terry was working to a plan.’
    ‘A plan . . . ?’
    ‘Yes – a plan.’ Hozeley’s mouth had set grim. ‘At first I was too upset to realize it, but it’s plain enough to me now. He wanted the cottage on his own that night. That was the reason for his behaviour. He knew that if he were outrageous enough I wouldn’t be able to face going back there.’
    Gently paused, staring at Hozeley. ‘What led you to think that?’
    ‘Everything.’ Hozeley stared back. ‘The way it developed, from the very beginning. Terry knew what he was doing. It wasn’t a question of loss of touch. He was deliberately sabotaging the rehearsal by coming in late and modifying his timing. Then when I failed to rise to that he resorted to the most wounding abuse he could think of, telling me finally that he intended leaving me and hinting that there was someone else.’ Hozeley plunged fingers into his hair. ‘I am ashamed to say that he succeeded. His insinuations even implicated the Quartet, not excluding Miss Hazlewood.’
    ‘She was specifically referred to?’
    ‘She was glanced at. But the insinuations were preposterous. He was heartily disliked by the other players – even in my blindness I was conscious of that.’
    Gently glanced at Leyston, who was looking blank.
    ‘So what could have been the motive for this plan, then?’
    Hozeley gazed wretchedly at the matting. ‘I have to accept there was another man.’
    ‘Have you any suggestions?’
    ‘Yes – now.’ His shoulders heaved resignedly. ‘Clearly it was the man who spoke to David on Monday.’
    ‘Him!’
    ‘Doesn’t that follow? His interest in Terry was explicit.’
    Gently’s stare was less than encouraging. ‘I don’t think it follows at all. We knew nothing about that man except that your gardener has just remembered him.’
    Hozeley hesitated. ‘You think David was lying?’
    ‘I think David was put up to it.’
    Hozeley was silent, his mouth drooping. Then he shook his head with decision. ‘No. David is too naive. He would have told me if that were the case. I’m certain that David did see the man, and that he was the man Terry planned to meet.’
    Gently clicked his tongue. ‘That’s too convenient.’
    ‘I’m sorry you should think so,’ Hozeley said coldly. ‘But this is no device of mine, if that is the insinuation.’
    ‘Did Virtue never speak to you about his past?’
    ‘If he did, it was confidential.’
    ‘About people who might have cause to be his enemies?’
    Hozeley’s face took an obstinate set. ‘I have told you what I think, Superintendent. Your suspicions are quite unfounded. What is significant is that Terry had a motive in seeking to prevent me returning to the cottage. What it was is sufficiently plain. And further than that I can’t help you.’
    ‘Then perhaps the doctor can.’
    ‘The doctor . . . ?’
    Hozeley’s eyes came to his quickly. But before Gently could press his advantage the spring-door bumped and a waiter entered.
    ‘A Chief Superintendent Gently . . . ?’
    ‘That’s me.’
    ‘There’s a phone call for you, sir.’
    Grunting impatience, Gently followed the waiter to a pay-box in the hall.
    ‘Gently here.’
    ‘Greetings, old top.’ The Etonian accents were Pagram’s. ‘I thought you’d like to hear news of some of your grubby friends in town. Les Parry fr’eres, in fact. We made a pass at them with your cadaver. They sang the sweetest little duet, all about a ware-house break-in at Croydon.’
    ‘Is that straight up?’
    ‘Like the Post Office Tower. Met. have recovered the loot from Balham. Sorry if it blights your life, old fruit, but now you win one, now you don’t.’
    ‘I can live with it,’ Gently said. ‘What’s the thermometer showing back there?’
    ‘Ninety-six. I’m sitting in my pants and Blondie plainly isn’t wearing a bra.’
    Gently hung up. Outside, Leyston waited.
    ‘I’m afraid I had to let Hozeley go, sir.’
    ‘Never mind him now. And forget